Seattle detective Liam Foster has learned not to trust easy answers, especially when federal help arrives with theories, profiles, and the promise of control.

Then a young man is found at Pike Place Market beneath an Aries symbol, and FBI profiler Dr. Adrian Vega sees the pattern Liam cannot ignore. The killer is not choosing victims at random. The murders are part of a zodiac design, one that could continue until the cycle is complete.

As the investigation moves through rain-slick landmarks, forensic clues, media leaks, and a narrowing list of suspects, Liam and Adrian are forced into a partnership neither man expected. Liam is still haunted by a past case that cost him more than his confidence. Adrian carries his own failures, and the closer they work, the harder it becomes to separate professional trust from something more dangerous.

But the killer is watching too.

With the next sign approaching and the investigation turning personal, Liam and Adrian must read the pattern before another victim is chosen. In a city of shadows, symbols, and buried grief, catching a killer may require them to risk more than their careers.

The Aries Template is a standalone MM murder mystery for readers who enjoy serial killer suspense, FBI profiler investigations, police procedural tension, and slow-burn romantic suspense.